The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1887-09-02
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., AUG. 29th, 1887.
1t seems to me that the public land policy
of this administration commends it to the IA
vor of the people far more than any other
measure it has adopted. There has been no
cessation in the great work of overhaaling
the swindling manipulations of hungry land
sharks, and the powerful railroad corpora
tons have also been made to sisgorge much
of free peoples birth-right, ruthlessly given
away by Republican Administration. Under
the Swamp-land law, passed by Congress in
1850, authority was granted certain States,
with public lands in their borders, to drain
and reclaim all swamp and overlooked lands,
preparing them for purposes Of agriculture
Later acts were passed, granting to the Slates
with such lands an indemnity of Sl.23 per
acre for each acre of swamp-land sold by tie
Government after the act of 1920 and up 10
the date of the indemnity act of 1855. Then
In 1857 Congress passed law securing t"
each State the titles to such tracts as were
condemned by the several States as swamp
lands. Now, so far as can be ascertained,
Louisiana is the only State that has made
any attempt to reclaim these lands, and that
was soon abandoned. Y ou can see at a
thought what a vast field of fraud was invit-
ingly opened by the Government, full advan-
tase of which was taken by thousands of I'M
scrupulous persons who falsely swore away
millions of acres of the most fertile public
lands, settlers and the Uni:el States ltnd
agents often making "combine' against the
Government in their nefarious work. As the
swamp law was passed some thirty seven
wears ago, if the law had been carried out in
good faith, the States would have long since
reclaimed all such lands: but, still, ''swalnp-
land claims" are being almost daily present
ed. The malicious attack made upon Com
missioner Sparks is solely due to his efforts to
check and correct this gigantic swindle-for
which he is entitled to the highest praise.
Civil Service Reform seems to be making
pretty fair progress under the new regula-
tons requiring clerks in office to he examined.
A few days ago the Civil Service Commission
received from the Secretary OF the Navy re-
| quest for the certificates of 2l2 elig lbles-al
| maes-from which - selections may be
made to fill existing vacancies. To supply
| this, the largest requisitiOn ever mide OIL the
Commission, at least four certificates were
made for each of the four States and Terrific
ries. The Civil Service Commissioners are
divided in opinion in regard to the power OF
dismissal, Mr.. Edgerton holding that the
| appointing authority has absolute power O
dismissal, while his colleagues contend tha
such power is restricted by the Civil Service
Law.
The Interstate Commerce Law seems TO bt
steadily growing in popular favor. Senator
Butler, of South Carolina, who opposed the
measure, has been won over by his recent
experience in . railroad collision, and in cen
sequence, he pro. oses to introduce amend
ments to the law, regulating the speed o
trains and limiting the time Of railroad EN-.
ployees to twelve honrs consecutive service il
day.
The testimony in seven contested election
cases has been received and printed by tn
clerk of the House Ct Representatives, which
l believe, is much smaller number thar
usual.
At the last Cabinet meeting, for the frs
time during this administration, all the mem
bers were absent, except Secretary Bayard-
the other portfolios being repre- sented by As
sistant Secretaries.
As it is regarded as practically settled tina
President Cleveland will be renominated
some interest is being manifested in the nomi
ration for the Vice.President, and both Post
Master General Villas and Commissioner Blac
have been often mentioned Many long
headed Democratic statesmen and politician
are understood to favor soldier for secon
place, and it is probale the President is Of tn
same opinion.
A pair of good Republicans, one claim a,
torney, and the other ,vernment clerk wer
arrested few days since for stealing publ
records from the Pension Office. For such
crime the punishment is five years in the pen
itentiary.